A suicidal patient is refused!

Policeman Yanick Campagna was suspended for a day for using coarse language.  But the reader will not blame him after absorbing this story.  As he arrives at the admission of Enfant Jesus hospital in Quebec City, the male nurse shouts "Ah No! Not him again!" It turns out that patient had left the hospital that morning!  So the nurse tells Yanick : "I don't want to see him.  He will not be triaged.  Drive him away"  But the policeman objects ; he throws himself in front of cars, I could be blamed if there is an inquiry.  So the policeman asks for the intervention of PECH, a community group.  PECH arranged for an ambulance to Saint Sacrement hospital.  The story was published in Le Soleil newspaper.

A new building to house veterans

The 40 appartments building should open in October 2020.  The 3-storey building will be located on Mikinak road on the former site of CFB Rockliffe.  The federal government provides 6,500,000 $ and the Multifaith housing initiative will also provide millions.  There will be a patio, a garden and a small park for service dogs.  "Soldiers helping soldiers" counts 400 homeless veterans in Ottawa and thousands more have no discretionary income left from their pension after paying rent.  The building will be known as "veterans'house"

Not criminally responsible of a stabing

Vlad Emira went to Saint Joseph oratory (in Montreal) with a large knife.  The 27-years-old man attacked Father Claude Grou but the audience intervened quickly.  After his arrest, he was delirious and claimed he heard voices.  On july 3rd the judge found him not criminally responsible.  He was transferred to Philippe Pinel institute, a secure psychiatric hospital.  The priest had only superficial wounds.

After a long wait, patients give up!

The Hull and the Gatineau hospitals operate their Emergency service with a minimal staff: each has 2 doctors on the day shift, 2 in the evening and 1 at night.  In the 2018-2019 year, 22,099 patients signed in then left without being seen by a physician!  The average wait was 21.1 hours!  At the Gatineau hospital, 12% of cases had to wait more then 48 hours!  Dr Nicolas Gilot, medical director of CIUSSS of Outaouais explains that he has to deal with a shortage of psychiatrists and emergency physicians.

The psychiatry department closes at Saint Sacrement hospital

In November 2018, the 8 emergency beds were closed, now it has been announced that the 44 remaining beds will be closing.  The CIUSSS wants to concentrate psychiatry services in Quebec city at CHUL, Enfant Jesus hospital and Institut Universitaire de Santé Mentale de Québec.
Of the 327 beds devoted to psychiatry available in april 2017, only 257 will be left in april 2021.
Patrick Duchesne, director of programs for mental health and addictions for the CIUSSS, resources will be directed at a new 40 beds residence, at CHSLD du Haut Saint Laurent and at Residence Mansfield.  "We are short 8 psychiatrists in the Quebec City region, and 100 in the province"
Besides the hospitals, there is a 27 bed crisis center which is always operating at capacity.  The police gets 15 calls per day of mental health nature.

Death of Jean Vanier

Jean Vanier joined the british navy at the age of 13 in 1942.  He later joined the Canadian navy which he left in 1950 to study theology and philosophy.  Scandalized by the horrible conditions of institutionalized mentally retarded, he welcomes two of them in his Paris home.  This was the beginning of l'Arche movement which now has 152 homes where 5-6 mentally handicapped persons live with 5-6 carers.  He also founded "Faith and Light" meetings which get together in 86 countries.  Jean Vanier also wrote more than 30 books, many available in various translations.
He said: "What is important is not to do things for the poor and weak.  It is to enter in relationship with them, be with them, help them build their confidence and discover their gifts."
Jean's father was Georges Vanier, former diplomat and Governer General of Canada.
Jean passed away on may 7, 2019.  More information is available on:  JeanVanier.larche.org